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Story: Hungarians

A decorative wooden gate (székely kapu), carved in Transylvania, stands at the entrance of Wellington’s Hungarian park. It celebrates Hungary’s presence in New Zealand and the friendship that has developed between the two countries.

Story summary

Immigration before 1956

There were few early Hungarian immigrants; those who did
come were most often temporary visitors.

In 1849, Hungary was defeated in its war for independence
from Austria – thousands fled, a few to New Zealand. The 1860s
gold rush saw some plucky prospectors try their luck on the
West Coast. In the first decades of the 20th century, 100
labourers settled in Southland, where they grew crops and
raised livestock. A few Hungarian Jews sought refuge in the
years before the Second World War, and other displaced persons
came after the war to escape Hungary’s Communist regime.

The refugees of 1956-1959

In Hungary in 1956 there was an uprising against communism.
It failed, however, and 200,000 were made refugees. Over 1,000
were granted refuge in New Zealand. Adapting to a new life was
not easy. The Department of Labour organised English-language
training and assistance with accommodation and employment. The
plentiful supply of jobs at this time smoothed the settling-in
process.

Hungarian culture

Many immigrants married non-Hungarians, which led to their
rapid integration into Kiwi culture. But it also led to a loss
of their own language and culture. Some national clubs were
established to provide friendship and organise activities.
Particularly popular when the refugees arrived in the late
1950s, most clubs had died out by the 1970s. But a revival of
interest in the 1980s has meant that today, Hungarian culture
has a presence in New Zealand.